Nigeria’s democracy in danger -PDP
.Warns APC-led government to stop ruling by arms
. Frowns at indiscriminate arrests of Nigerians, party members
. Condemns alleged FG plan to tap mobile telephone lines, other devices as a way of harassing, intimidating Nigerians
.Says ‘Constructive criticisms are the primary responsibility of opposition in a democracy’
The National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi on Monday raised the alarm that Nigeria’s democracy is in serious danger, stressing that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) must be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the country.
The NCC of the PDP has similarly drawn the attention of the world leaders to what it called the serious issues of human rights violation in Nigeria since the APC Administration took over power in May 29, 2015.
The national caretaker committee raised the alarm in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and made available to journalists on Monday in Abuja.
The NCC equally frowned at the indiscriminate arrests of Nigerians as well as members of the PDP in different parts of the country like Kaduna, Edo, and Nasarawa states amongst others by the ruling government.
The NCC of the PDP pointed out that these actions of the ruling party, the APC is absurd, disheartening and a serious threat to our hard-earned democracy.
Nigerians, the Senator Makarfi-led NCC warned, cannot and should not be arrested and detained indiscriminately for criticising and holding government accountable.
It argued that constructive criticism is the primary responsibility of opposition in a democracy all over the world and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
The statement reads: “The attention of the PDP, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, CON, has been drawn to the untoward, unconstitutional and indiscriminate arrest and detention of PDP members and supporters nationwide on phantom charges by the Government of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“For emphasis, on the 4th of February, 2017, the Chapter Chairman of the PDP in Jigawa State, Mr. Salisu Mamuda, was arrested for criticising the Jigawa State Government against spending the sum of N400,000,000 (Four Hundred Million Naira Only) to entertain defectors from PDP to APC.
“Nigerians will also recall that Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, a Governorship Aspirant on the platform of the PDP in Lagos state during the 2015 Guber Election was arrested by men of the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) on February 17, 2017 on account of exposing the Forex racketeering by the APC-led government at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“Also on March 3, 2017, Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, a PDP chieftain in Kogi State was arrested on trump-up charges and detained illegally for criticising the wrong policies, misgovernance and non-performance of Governor Yahaya Bello.
“Just yesterday, April 9, 2017, Mr. Austin Usman Okai, a PDP Youth leader and frontline critic of the Yahaya Bello’s APC-led Government in Kogi State was arrested by men of the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squared (SARS) on phantom petitions by some cronies of the governor.
“There are also reports of indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens of this country in Kaduna, Edo, Nasarawa amongst others at both the Federal and state levels controlled by the Ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
“These actions of the Ruling Party, the APC is absurd, disheartening and a serious threat to our hard-earned democracy.
“Nigerians cannot and should not be arrested and detained indiscriminately for criticising and holding government accountable. Constructive criticism is the primary responsibility of opposition in a democracy all over the world and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
“We have also been alerted to the news of the Federal Government of Nigeria planning to tap mobile telephone lines and hacking of other devises of citizens as a way of harassing and intimidating them into silence.
“These and other unholy practices of this administration will henceforth be resisted by all Nigerians”, it said.
The NCC of the PDP vowed to mobilise Nigerians, at all levels, to fight against the use of arms in a democratic system to ridicule and intimidate citizens of this country.
“We will no longer tolerate this high handedness of the APC and we therefore demand the unconditional and immediate release of Mr. Austin Usman Okai and all our members in several detention centres of security agencies across the country”, it declared.
Continuing, the party said: “Finally, we wish to use this medium to inform world leaders on the serious issues of human rights violation in Nigeria since the APC Administration took over power in May 29, 2015.
“We call on all civil rights organisation across the country and in the Diaspora to rise to this occasion.
“Our democracy is in serious danger and the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) must be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order as a result of these undemocratic behaviours,” the statement concluded.
